How to write an email like a pro

Millennials tend to avoid the phone like the plague. Most business (and a lot of personal) communications happen via email. Even when we are away from our laptops, the little computers in our pockets mean we’re ready to respond anytime, anywhere. Sending a good email is crucial for smooth operations. The tiniest of miscommunications can snowball into sticky situations so it’s best to have some guidelines to know you’re always sending out great, comprehensible emails. Here are some recommendations.

No. 1: Have a clear subject line.

This is the first thing the recipient will see so it needs to be attractive. Make it obviously relatable to the content in the email so it’s easy to pull up if they hunt for it later.

No. 2: Set the tone with a positive greeting.

Even if the core of the email is pure, raw, dry business content, set it off with an uplifting remark for a personal touch and to connect with your recipient. I often start with something along the lines of “I hope you’re having a great day so far!”

No. 3: Be cautious with humor.

The desire to be funny, especially amongst business correspondence is strong for many. Be careful though, your line of humor could be painfully misinterpreted and you won’t necessarily have the chance to rectify the situation. A good general rule would be to use humor only if you know the recipient well.

No. 4: Mind your !’s and :-)’s.

It’s natural to want to show your emotions through punctuation and emojis but for professional communication, it’s best to leave them to a minimum. Use the opportunity to show your enthusiasm with your words.

No. 5: Proofread your content.

Once you hit send, you can’t rescind your email. Take a moment to check for any typos or grammatical mistakes before it’s too late. Even if you’re typing on your mobile device, it’s really best not to have any obvious errors.

No. 6: Add the email address last.

To keep yourself from sending an incomplete email by accident, make the last step adding in the email address.